Logistics

Import trophies from regional countries

We have extensive experience in importing trophies from neighbouring and other countries; to date we have imported from countries such as Botswana, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.

Imports can take anywhere between 3 to 9 months before they land in South Africa. There is much documentation and communication that needs to happen to conclude a successful import. The process is typically as follows:

The client will need to instruct Buck ‘n Bass Taxidermy in writing that he / she would like us to import and process his / her trophies in South Africa and will honour the costs as such.

The reputable outfitter / PH will in some instances conduct the export process himself, or more typically, will send the trophies to a facility that specialises in this service. Outfitters that operate in remote areas normally only transport trophies to the export facility at the end of their hunting season.

The trophies are then processed and packed in accordance with the regulations of that country. The necessary government export documentation is obtained.

Buck ‘n Bass Taxidermy in turn will then obtain the necessary South African import documentation to enable the trophies to be sent either via road transport or air transport. Most imports are via air due to reliability and time saving.

All costs and logistics are handled by Buck ‘n Bass Taxidermy to ensure a smooth import. The client is then liable to pay these costs on presentation of invoice by Buck ‘n Bass Taxidermy. A deposit will need to be paid prior to Buck ‘n Bass Taxidermy committing any funds to the import. The deposit will be portioned in accordance with the trophies that are to be imported. This will be agreed with the client upfront.

If the trophies are to be mounted by us there is no additional cost to the client other than necessary import costs which are all declared to the client. If the trophies are not to be mounted by us the cost of 20% of the value of the consignment will be levied.

Once the trophies arrive at our facility, we photograph, measure and inspect the trophies. A full report with measurements and photos are then sent to the client for confirmation and record.

The client will then confirm all instructions in writing for us to proceed with the mounting and then ultimate export to final destination.

Collect trophies from within South Africa

You have the freedom to choose your taxidermist, not your PH or outfitter! As such, we collect trophies from anywhere within our borders utilising the services of our preferred courier companies. Due to our geographic location, we can arrange for the collection of trophies from anywhere in the country.

As a commitment to our clients, Buck ‘n Bass Taxidermy will share courier costs 50 / 50 with the client if the trophies are to be taxidermied by us. All costs are declared.

Export / shipping of trophies globally

Buck ‘n Bass Taxidermy has exported trophies to a vast number of countries on six continents. Each country has its own variation of import requirements and regulations that the client needs to be aware of and adhere to. Buck ‘n Bass Taxidermy will inform and assist as much as possible in making sure that the client understands his country's import requirements and provide the required documentation (where possible), contact details of relevant governing bodies and clearing agents. We will not risk an export until all import and export countries requirements are confirmed and documentation is in place.

Importing into Europe and North America is common and these procedures are well known.

Typical Documentation Requirements

South African Export Documentation
Buck ‘n Bass will ensure that your consignment of trophies will have all the necessary import documentation in order and 100% correct prior to the consignment leaving South Africa. Typically this would include:

CITES Export permit (if applicable)

NON-CITES Nature Conservation export certificate

Veterinary Health Export Documentation

Import country requirements
Buck ‘n Bass will advise you on import documentation requirements and direct you to responsible authorities to ensure a smooth importation of your trophies.

Any other documentation requirements will be stipulated by your local conservation body, Customs, Department of Health (e.g. US Fish & Wildlife, US Customs, DEFRA-UK... etc.) We will provide guidance in this regard.

Import Clearing Agents

It is advisable to appoint a Customs clearance broker / agent who is a licensed company specialising in clearing goods through Customs for clients. Be sure to select a company that is familiar with regulations for clearing hunting trophies into your country. We can recommend agents in various countries to assist you.

Freight Forwarding Agents

We have a preferred Freight Agent in South Africa who is experienced in the exporting and handling of hunting trophies. We prefer that our clients deal directly with our Freight Agent and make payment directly to them. However, in the exception the client may make one final payment to Buck ‘n Bass Taxidermy including the freight costs. Buck ‘n Bass Taxidermy takes no commissions from Freight Agents, and as such freight quotations are emailed directly to the client. We maintain a totally transparent communication between the client freight agent and us.

The client is most welcome to nominate his own agent, but it must be noted that once the consignment leaves our premises there will be Total Transfer of Care, Custody and Control to the nominated agent.

Scheduling of taxidermy work

Sticking to our promises is important to us and as such all our taxidermy work is scheduled in a database. This allows us to provide our clients with a planned completion date at the time of concluding the contract and securing a 50% deposit.

Should planned dates shift due to unforeseen events, the client will be informed and a new planned date scheduled.

We aim to keep our clients informed and at ease through regular contact and progress reports.